gift of tongues

noun phrase

: a divinely granted gift or talent identified by ecstatic, usually unintelligible speech see also tongue entry 1 sense 4c

Word History

Etymology

from the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:1–13

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gift of tongues was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near gift of tongues

Cite this Entry

“Gift of tongues.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gift%20of%20tongues. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on gift of tongues

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!